Dancing on Ice 2009

Dancing on Ice star Donal McIntyre has returned to the ice after a two-week break to recover from the injuries he sustained during the finals of the competition.

It has been reported that he has been practicing in preparation to appear on the live tour in Wembley.

Donal said: "I was in severe pain and I couldn't skate for about two weeks but I have gone back on the ice in preparation for the tour. I am doing a couple of days in Wembley."

The Irishman confessed that he was a late-edition to the popular live tour as bosses thought that he would not be good enough to participate.

He explained: "They had signed-up people about half way through the show and the tour organisers said 'Listen Donal we are making a decision, we don't think that you are going to make it very far and we may be wrong', and I was delighted to prove them wrong but... I think that they were obliged to take myself and Florentine on for at least part of the tour."

He added: "I was keen to do at least some of the tour because Florentine, if she is able to drag her man from being a hopeless beginner to the Bolero, then she deserves some extra work. The professionals work so hard."

The investigative journalist, who finished as runner-up to Ray Quinn, admitted that he thought that he would never make it through to contest the title.

Donal said: "It was all very nervous, from being in the first and the last skate-off and starting off myself and Todd rubbing our beer bellies and praying for some corsets to survive our spandex and sequins.

He added: "Making it all the way to the final was a fantastic achievement for me and for Florentine. We enjoyed every second, it was a very special journey."

Gerard has said that the couple have agreed to part after being together for nearly two years.

He admitted: "I suppose it's just one of those things, but there are plenty more salmon in the sea!"

But it hasn't taken the Belfast man long to get over the split, he was spotted getting close to professional dancer Jeanette Taylor at a star-studded awards ceremony on Friday night, reports the Belfast Telegraph.

He said: "Zoe and I are not together anymore and as I didn't talk about our relationship when we were together, I'm not about to start now.

"Jeanette is a very good friend of mine and she's a very beautiful woman."

The Hollyoaks actor has apparently been friends with Taylor for many years.

A friend said: "Gerard and Janette worked together on Saturday Night Fever with Kym Marsh and have always been very good friends.

Dancing on Ice star Zoe Salmon has said that she wants to take over from Fern Britton on This Morning.

The former Blue Peter presenter told Sunday Life that she would love to cosy up to Phillip Schofield on the famous sofa.

She said: "Of course, I'd love it if they asked me to do it."

The 29-year-old is hopeful that her four-year stint as resident daredevil on the children's show will put her firmly in the running for the £750,000 presenting job.

Zoe added: "It's a magazine-style show just like Blue Peter, which I really loved doing."

Recent reports claimed that Phillip Schofield will get to choose Fern's replacement and a number of star names have come forward to say they are interested in the job including Myleene Klass, Holly Willoughby, Melanie Sykes, Emma Forbes and Coleen Nolan.

Zoe has been keen to promote a change to her image and the former Miss Northern Ireland is currently the cover girl for the latest edition of FHM magazine.

Zoe said: "Only 12 girls a year are picked to grace the cover of FHM and my body has never been in better shape."

Coleen Nolan appeared to rule herself out of the job of replacing Fern Britton on the This Morning sofa.

Coleen confessed to Lorraine Kelly on GMTV that she was not in the running to take over from the presenter who plans to quit the show in the summer.

She said: "I have not even thought about that to be honest to you.

"I am always happy for a new challenge but I am happy where I am and in all honesty I haven't been asked."

She added: "So who knows?"

The 44-year-old presenter told Lorraine that she had enjoyed making a new documentary programme for The Truth About Beauty which examined the obsession with looking young.

Coleen explained: "It was a really interesting programme to make because there is this obsession with it. I mean the women that I met are obsessed with stopping the ageing process. My whole point was, why?

"We all get old and we have lines for a reason...they're called laughter lines because we've laughed in our lives."

Coleen said that there was a tendency for some people to "take the surgery too far".

She said: "They start off with a bit here (on the face) and then they become obsessed with it.

"A few years ago if you wanted to feel better about yourself you looked at your diet, you looked at your fitness....you would eat more fruit, but now it's just. `I am going to book into somewhere and get it done, now!'

Former Emmerdale star Roxanne Pallett has restarted a feud with 'Dancing On Ice' judge Jason Gardiner.

In response to the news that Gardiner is not going to be appearing on the show's live tour this year Pallett told the Daily Star "We're all relieved Jason isn't going to be there. It's nice knowing you're not going to get absolutely slated in front of your family and friends."

Pallett had been very critical following her elimination of some of the comments made by Gardiner about her during the show and called for him to be sacked. She was also critical of judge Ruthie Henshall. In response Gardiner had branded the actress 'ungracious'.

Ray Quinn eventually won the series with journalist Donal MacIntyre taking the runner-up spot.

Kevin Pietersen insists he remains totally committed to playing for England, but says he will no longer go on extended tours without his wife.

The batsman caused a storm last week when he admitted he was 'at the end of his tether' - and it was revealed he had been refused permission to briefly return home from the West Indies after feeling homesick.

However, Pietersen, who has been cleared to play in Friday's one-day series decider in St Lucia after an injury scare, has re-iterated his commitment to playing for his adopted country.

By saying I'm at the end of my tether was not a case of wanting to leave the tour,' he said. 'Everyone said I wanted to leave but it's not that case at all.

'What never came out was how desperate I am to win games for England,' said the South African-born batsman.

Pietersen has admitted the main factor in his unhappiness this winter has been the 11-week absence from his wife Jessica, who was unable to fly out with the other wives earlier in the tour because of her participation in ITV's Dancing on Ice.

Pietersen said: 'I won't be without my wife for 11 weeks ever again.'

Despite openly admitting his homesickness, Pietersen will be spending just a week in the UK before flying out to South Africa to fulfil a lucrative contract with Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League.

But the 28-year-old has no difficulty in reconciling the apparent conflict, adding: 'What happens in two weeks is a totally different kettle of fish.

'It's not a case of playing cricket for money. I'm going to learn, play with the best in the world and improve my game.'

Dancing On Ice star Roxanne Pallett was left embarrassed this week when she tried to introduce herself to Hollywood heartthrob Zac Efron.

Former Emmerdale actress Roxanne, 26, made a beeline for hunky Zac, 21 at the premiere of his new movie 17 Again in London's Leicester Square on Thursday night.

But the High School Musical star's burly security clearly did not realise Roxy was more than a crazed fan and turned her away. My spy on the red carpet said: "Roxanne was desperately trying to get Zac's attention.

"She was clearly hoping to get a personal introduction to him.

"But his security were having none of it and told her straight to go away. It was pretty embarrassing.

Jessica Taylor is hoping that musical success with her new band will take away the disappointment over her third place in Dancing on Ice.

She told the Lichfield Mercury that she had been devastated that she did not get to dance the Bolero.

Jessica said: "Of course I was gutted, absolutely gutted. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. It was Mother's Day and my mum was there to watch me and I really wanted to dance the Bolero in the final.

"I love the dance and the costume. But I'm looking forward to doing it on tour."

Jessica's best friend Kelli Young said: "It was such a waste of a costume - her Bolero outfit was amazing and she had a fabulous washboard stomach to go with it."

Taylor revealed earlier this week that she and Kelli, who were both in Liberty X, have formed their own girl group called Danger Minx.

Kelli explained: "We both love the word minx and we knew we wanted to call ourselves something to with that, and danger just sounded right. After Liberty X split up I had some time off but then I started recording in the studio and Jessica came to join me and we just worked really well together."

Jessica said she is going to concentrate on music after the end of the Dancing on Ice live tour. Danger Minx are currently unsigned but the girls are hoping to release their new music in the immediate future.

Jessica said: "The tour shouldn't get in the way and our music is really current. It should be great."

Bookies are already speculating that Dancing on Ice host Holly Willoughby will replace Fern Britton as the co-presenter on This Morning.

Fern recently announced that she will leave the morning chat show when the present series finishes for the summer holidays in July.

She was angered at reports which claimed that she was leaving after becoming annoyed at the discrepancy in pay between her and Phillip Schofield.

Speaking on This Morning, Fern said: "Thank you so much for all your lovely messages. This is my first chance to tell you personally that I'm leaving.

"I realise that people like to speculate rather hurtfully it has to be said.

"But the real reason is that 10 years is a long time on any show and I'm ready for a change.

"Working with Phil has been magical. But I also have another Phil in my life and I want to slow down a little bit and enjoy life a bit.

"My immediate plan is to build a vegetable plot in the autumn and to become a This Morning viewer and I'll be cheering on whoever the lucky person is who'll be working with Phillip, because he is, after all, simply the best."

Bookmakers William Hill say that Ruth Langsford is their current evens favourite to land the job but a spokesman for the firm is lobbying for Dancing on Ice host Holly Willoughby.

Rupert Adams said: "What a wake up call! Please, please can we have Holly?"